Any Oscar Levant fans?

A great pianist, actor, writer, songwriter and radio personality. A close friend of Gershwin. Star of such movies as An American In Paris and The Bandwagon. Also a very neurotic man.

I came across this episode of What's My Line which featured Oscar Levant as a guest, which starts around the 22 minute mark. He literally looks like he's having a nervous breakdown.

He was an interesting character. Not sure we have any equivalent today, since people are all illiterate snowflakes now.

That was his schtick. He knew everyone and was friends with Joe Kennedy, of all people.

I watched his TV show in the 1950s. Los Angeles, KHJ-TV.

The kind of celebrity who would never be famous today. He was a frequent guest on talk shows, especially Jack Paar's. Other celebs apparently seemed to adore him and his supposed wit yet he was never a fan favorite of any TV viewer.

As a kid watching him on TV he made me highly nervous if not a little disgusted. Probably no surprise, but Nanette Fabray hated working with him on the MGM musical The Bandwagon, in which they played husband and wife. But then, supposedly, she didn't enjoy working with Cyd Charisse either.

I'd love to eavesdrop on a conversation between him and Lorenz Hart.

Jack Paar asked him what he did for exercise and he said "I stumble and fall into a coma." I think of that at the gym all the time.

R2 is right, the nervous breakdown thing was his shtick.

Crazy that he's in 2 of MGM greatest classic musicals AN AMERICAN IN PARIS and THE BANDWAGON!

What was the thinking behind that casting?

Love him in Humoresque. Great wit. Seemed to be constantly in pain.

In the Charlie Chan mystery "Charlie Chan at the Opera" the opera "Carnival" was created by Oscar Levant from a libretto by William Kernell.

clip of the opera scene below